Sleep at work is in the hands of the enemies of the working class. (I. Chashnikov., B. Johansson) Soviet Posters (1917-1941)

The composition presents a stark juxtaposition of rest and relentless progress, framed within a distinctly propagandistic aesthetic. A worker slumbers deeply at his desk, surrounded by the tools of his trade – papers, pens, and a lamp casting a warm glow on his face. This scene is contained within an almost theatrical box-like structure, suggesting both intimacy and confinement.
The immediate background to this domestic tableau is dominated by a powerful locomotive speeding along parallel tracks. The train’s presence isnt merely decorative; it embodies the unstoppable momentum of industrialization and, implicitly, the forces that drive it. Smoke billows from its engine, obscuring the horizon and creating an atmosphere of urgency and potential danger.
The color palette is deliberately limited to reinforce this sense of tension. The warm yellows and oranges used for the worker’s space contrast sharply with the cool greens and blacks of the train and surrounding darkness. This visual separation emphasizes the disconnect between the individuals need for respite and the demands of a system that seems indifferent to it.
The railway signal, prominently positioned near the sleeping worker, acts as a symbolic warning. It suggests an impending collision or disruption, hinting at the precariousness of the worker’s position within this larger societal machine. The elevated perspective from which we view the scene further distances the viewer from the individual, reinforcing his vulnerability and powerlessness.
The text displayed in Cyrillic script above the image reinforces the underlying message: Sleep at work is in the hands of the enemies of the working class. This inscription explicitly frames the worker’s slumber not as a natural consequence of exhaustion but as a symptom of exploitation and oppression, placing blame on an external force.
The overall effect is one of social commentary, utilizing visual metaphors to critique the dehumanizing aspects of industrial labor and the perceived antagonism between individual well-being and economic progress. The image aims to evoke empathy for the worker while simultaneously indicting those responsible for his plight.